With great sadness I post the passing of a photographer, mentor, teacher and friend. Al Weber has past away today, a number of us on this forum knew him in many different ways. Mine started in 1974 at the Ansel Adams Workshop in Yosemite….my relationship and friendship has gone on for over forty years., if it was Victor School in Colorado, or workshops in Carmel or the Deserts of Eastern California….Al Weber was a true teacher….I will miss him dearly….good bye my dear friend and mentor…..Jan

Oren Grad

27-Feb-2016, 15:12

Very sorry to hear that... a great loss. Thanks for sharing.

gary892

27-Feb-2016, 15:59

Truly a very sad day.

I attended a Photogravure workshop at Al's house in 1989 and have been in contact ever since that experience.
He was the best teacher and mentor I have ever met.

A great loss to the photographic community.

May his family be consoled by all the prayers and thoughts from people who were fortunate to cross his path.

Rest in peace my friend.

Jan Pietrzak

27-Feb-2016, 16:13

Oren and Gary

Thank you, he was a very special teacher and mentor....at one point i counted the number of workshops he had taught and it came to over 1,000 to 1,500....

Jan

Jerry Bodine

27-Feb-2016, 17:18

I was fortunate to meet Al in 1966 at my first AA workshop in Yosemite. We hit it off right away; he was so easy to like and appreciate. I didn't know what the heck I was doing at that time. I credit him with, among other things, giving me my first lesson in the sequence of pre-exposure and although I didn't totally understand the technique he prompted me to read up on the details in The Negative. I returned home with the full set of AA's Photo Series and began studying before returning for several more workshops to get questions answered. He also recommended several other good reference materials. All that laid the groundwork for my transition to large format. I shall never forget all he did for me.

RIP, Al. My prayers go out to his family as well.

Dougbusch

27-Feb-2016, 17:55

It is a great loss for photography. teacher, mentor, photographer, and a great man. I knew Al for 45 years and he was my mentor as well as my second father. He will be greatly missed. A true Sage and Icon.

Jim Noel

27-Feb-2016, 19:02

Al Weber photographer, teacher and friend to thousands passed away in the early morning of Feb 27.
Al was a full time photographer his entire adult life having studied at University of Denver after his stint in the Marine Corps and serving in Korea.He was one of the instructors chosen by Ansel Adams for his Yosemite workshops. He established the photography workshops for Friends of Photography and later for the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 1989 he started the annual Photographers Rendezvous. The attendance to this never sunk below 65 photographers, and at times reached the cut off point of 90. These he continued until age and illness forced him to give it up after 24 years. Throughout the years he continued his life as a Commercial and Fine Art photographer along with his personal workshops.
Al was beloved by many and to say he will be sorely missed is a vast understatement.
God be with you, and Rest in Peace my friend.

Jim

Oren Grad

27-Feb-2016, 19:48

Threads merged.

Jan Pietrzak

27-Feb-2016, 20:43

Jim Noel, thank you for filling in the spots I missed....this man Jim Noel is one that a lot student have learned from and have taken from his teachings....we, have spent many a time listing to the stories and lessons from Al in the field or in the darkroom.....thank you Jim

Merg Ross

27-Feb-2016, 21:53

Sad to hear of Al's passing. He contributed so much, and touched so many, in a life devoted to the art and craft of photography.
In his words: "I try to make a successful photograph of a common or oft seen subject --- to bring forward the common, and make it uncommon with grace and simplicity and good craft."
Al seldom failed in this endeavor. My condolences to his family, and to all of those whose lives have been enriched by his friendship. Indeed, a great loss.

Rick Rosen

28-Feb-2016, 13:05

Al was very special to me; my friend, my mentor and the man who gave me my first opportunity to teach workshops at his Victor School and also introduced me to Ansel Adams. No other photographer has had such a deep impact on my path as a photographer and an instructor as Al has. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Suzie and his family.

John Kasaian

28-Feb-2016, 17:20

Rest in peace.

Kirk Gittings

28-Feb-2016, 19:57

I didn't know Al. I never even met him, but he was a huge influence on many great photographers I know. So I feel the loss somewhat vicariously. It is indeed a big loss for many friends and I feel for you, and for our art form.

Robert Langham

1-Mar-2016, 20:55

At the Yosemite workshops, Dave Bohn and Al Weber were the guys who would really give you a helpful and worthwhile portfolio review. Al could tell you what you were doing and what you weren't doing when you didn't know yourself. I remember him spotting an overexposed negative on a print I thought I was pretty happy with. If you could listen, he had some really helpful things to say. Had a common touch, like a real working pro.

Hans Berkhout

2-Mar-2016, 14:49

147426
Great teacher, great friend. When he spoke, even if only a few words, you listened. RIP Al, and my condolences to your family.

Jim Noel

2-Mar-2016, 17:02

Jim Noel, thank you for filling in the spots I missed....this man Jim Noel is one that a lot student have learned from and have taken from his teachings....we, have spent many a time listing to the stories and lessons from Al in the field or in the darkroom.....thank you Jim

Thanks for the compliment Jan.

Jim Galli

2-Mar-2016, 18:09

I got to meet Al at the little "Shooting the West" wing ding held every year in Winnemucca NV. I forget what year he came. It could be 10 years ago now. He gave a most entertaining session at the event, and he held a critique session for us wannabe photogs for $20 bucks. A great bargain. I brought some AZO contacts and such. He was a natural encourager, sometimes all we need to hear. I bought his little book. I forget the title, something along the lines of "get off your butt and get busy". He was great fun to meet. If I'd lived closer I would have been a regular pest.

It is a great loss to the community. He was a very real connection to the original west coast school. A bridge to that generation. A living legend as it were. But he would laugh if you ever told him that.